National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 1991‑1‑5:2025. It supersedes BS EN 1991‑1‑5:2003, which will be withdrawn on 30 March 2028.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee B/525/1, Actions (loadings) and basis of design.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

National choice is allowed in this standard where explicitly stated within notes. The National Annex to this standard contains the national choices to be used for buildings and civil engineering works constructed in the UK.

The first generation of EN Eurocodes was published between 2002 and 2007, with conflicting British Standards withdrawn in 2010. This document forms part of the second generation of EN Eurocodes.

The second generation of EN Eurocodes is expected to be published between 2023 and 2026. These documents are being published as soon as they are available. This is being done to enable users to prepare for the transition from the first generation to second generation of EN Eurocodes.

UK adoptions of the first generation of EN Eurocodes will be withdrawn by BSI on 30 March 2028. Until that date, the first generation documents should be considered as the applicable standards for buildings and civil engineering works constructed in the UK unless otherwise specified by the relevant authority or in the specification for a particular project.

This standard is intended to be used with its National Annex and other referenced documents, including other second generation Eurocodes, as an interdependent suite of documents.

While the use of provisions in this standard in conjunction with first generation Eurocodes is not precluded, it should be undertaken with care and should only be done when users are satisfied that it will not result in a lower level of reliability than the minimum level set in the first generation Eurocodes and associated UK National Annexes.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 28 February 2025.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 29 December 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 1991‑1‑5:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 250 “Structural Eurocodes”, the secretariat of which is held by BSI. CEN/TC 250 is responsible for all Structural Eurocodes and has been assigned responsibility for structural and geotechnical design matters by CEN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2027, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by March 2028.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document will supersede EN 1991‑1‑5:2005.

The main changes compared to the previous edition are listed below:

a new presentation of temperatures for buildings (merging of tables for inner and outer temperatures);
a new approach for the consideration of uncertainties related to the initial bridge temperature T₀ of a structural member at the relevant stage of its restraint (completion) and its range ΔT₀, especially important for the design of bearings and expansion joints;
an improved presentation (in the form of figures and tables) and update for the evaluation of the vertical components of temperature differences with nonlinear effects on bridge decks;
introduction of a climate change term for consideration of climate change effects.

The first generation of EN Eurocodes was published between 2002 and 2007. This document forms part of the second generation of the Eurocodes, which have been prepared under Mandate M/515 issued to CEN by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association.

The Eurocodes have been drafted to be used in conjunction with relevant execution, material, product and test standards, and to identify requirements for execution, materials, products and testing that are relied upon by the Eurocodes.

The Eurocodes recognize the responsibility of each Member State and have safeguarded their right to determine values related to regulatory safety matters at national level through the use of National Annexes.

Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

0.1 Introduction to the Eurocodes

0.2

0.3

0.4 Verbal forms used in the Eurocodes

0.5

1 Scope

1.1 Scope of EN 1991‑1‑5

(1) EN 1991‑1‑5 gives principles and rules for calculating thermal actions on buildings, bridges and other structures including their structural members. Principles needed for cladding and other attachments of buildings are also provided.

(2) This document describes the changes in the temperature of structural members. Characteristic values of thermal actions are presented for use in the design of structures which are exposed to daily and seasonal climatic changes.

(3) This document also gives principles for changes in the temperature of structural members due to the paving of hot asphalt on bridge decks.

(4) This document also provides principles and rules for thermal actions acting in structures which are mainly a function of their use (e.g. cooling towers, silos, tanks, warm and cold storage facilities, hot and cold services, etc.).

NOTE Supplementary guidance for thermal actions on chimneys is provided in EN 13084‑1.

1.2 Assumptions

(1) The assumptions given in EN 1990:2023, 1.2 apply.

(2) EN 1991‑1‑5 is intended to be used with EN 1990, the other parts of EN 1991 and EN 1992 (all parts) to EN 1999 (all parts) for the design of structures.

2 Normative references

3 Terms, definitions and symbols

3.1 Terms and definitions

3.2 Symbols and abbreviations

4 Design situations

5 Classification of actions

6 Representation of actions

7 Thermal actions on buildings

7.1 General

7.2 Determination of temperatures

7.3 Determination of temperature profiles

8 Thermal actions on bridges

8.1 Bridge decks

8.2 Bridge piers

8.3 Thermal actions due to hot paving

9 Thermal actions on industrial chimneys, silos, tanks and cooling towers

9.1 General

9.2 Determination of temperature components

9.3 Values of temperature components

9.4 Simultaneity of temperature components

Bibliography

BS EN 1991-1-5:2025

Eurocode 1. Actions on structures - Thermal actions

Current, Under Review

Published:

28 Feb 2025